Moira brought over a fresh pitcher of drinks and all the taco stuff. We all dug in because no one could ever have enough tacos.
“Caelan basically steamrolled you to get you to date him, but who was there the entire time gently guiding you and supporting you? There was no bond between you until recently. You finally let go enough to trust him, and the universe responded. Rowan is not Caelan,” Mom continued. “He is the furthest thing from that man you can get.”
“But am I a gift to him?”
Moira’s drink sloshed over the side of the rim. “Shit.” She mopped it up while also gawking at me. “Are you serious?”
Stupid magical booze. Tears burned the back of my eyes. “I’m a mess,” I admitted. “Rowan is kind and steady and…”
“So fucking hot?” Moira added helpfully.
“Smoking,” Mom agreed, kissing three of her fingers like a lusty Italian lady. “Those pullovers he wears? Gods!” She fanned herself. “What is going on under those?!”
“Mom!” I knew exactly what was under those and she was not wrong, but Mom should not be lusting after…
Her knowing grin made me snort.
“Caelan was handsome, too.”
“Sure,” Moira agreed. “All the Lords are. But being handsome is a matter of genetics. Anyone has the potential to be handsome. Being hot is an entirely different matter. Rowan is on another level. He’s smart, strategic, funny, wise, and the way he looks at you…” Moira let out a low whistle. “He’s the kind of guy that would bend you over a fence and make you forget your name.”
I burst out laughing.
Her cheeks had turned pink from all the laughter and booze. “I’m serious. Caelan would be all broody and shit about it and probably make you work for it. Rowan would have your skirt up in five seconds if you gave him a come-hither glance. Bears see honey and go for it. Rowan is like a sexy cartoon bear, and he is out foryourhoney, Evie. No one else’s.”
Mom was laughing so hard she had to hold her stomach.
I confessed to what we’d done earlier, keeping it PG-ish because Mom was there. Some people might be weird about talking about certain things in front of their mothers, but I didn’t know her as a child, not really. She hadn’t been there. Mom was fae and sexuality was second nature to them. They were not like humans.
“That’s why the bond seemed stronger.” Mom wiggled a finger at me. “You’re playing with fire, darling. If you don’t want to accept the bond, you might want to stop with the hanky-panky.”
“I want to accept it,” I admitted. “But everything feels too soon. I was about to marry Caelan only a few months before.”
Moira reached for my hand. “In other circumstances, I would agree with you. But what you have with Rowan is not a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. The man is your literal mate. No one controls when that happens. Very few people get to experience this.” Her eyes softened. “Of all the people I’ve known in my life, you deserve this the most. Who gives ashit what anyone thinks? If you want to accept the bond, you should.”
“There’s one more thing.” Moira poured me another drink. Maybe I’d go and get some of those drops from Rowan later. From the fuzziness in my head, I’d need them.
Mom and Moira leaned forward.
“Other magic is tugging at me. I think it’s a fae bond.”
Mom sucked in a breath, her azure eyes wide. “Are you sure?”
“Well, it’s never happened before, so I can’t say with complete certainty, but being around him makes me feral.” I’d always been drawn to Rowan because he put me at ease. But now, I wanted to claw his clothes off every time I saw him.
Mom slowly nodded. “I cannot say with any certainty because I’ve never experienced a bond with another, not a mating bond, anyway. But I know a few who’ve been lucky enough to experience one. When the bond is forming, there is an overwhelming draw to the other party. I believe it takes a while for the male to feel the tug. If Rowan already feels the shifter bond, it’s possible he won’t notice the other, if that’s what this is.” Mom frowned. “Would you mind if I looked?”
I’d never allow Mom to use magic on me because I was afraid of her. Things had changed, but the thought still made the abandoned child rear up.
She blinked and leaned back. “Apologies, Evie. I should not have asked.” Mom looked down at her lap. “There will always be wounds and jagged edges between us.”
Her hurt was palpable.
I reached for Mom’s hand. “No. I’m sorry. I—” A heavy sigh escaped me. “The past is difficult to escape, and we still have a lot of work to do. Please. Look. I’d like to know what you see.”
Mom glanced at Moira for some reason, and what she saw there must have reassured her because she scooted her chair closer and placed her hand on my cheek. She closed her eyes,and a gentle, cool magic swept through my body. Mom’s magic reminded me of Tess’s, but I felt no fear as she looked within me. She knew many of my secrets, and I had nothing I felt the need to hide.
When she pulled away and the last of her magic slipped from my body, Mom opened her eyes and gave me a wobbly smile. “You’re right,” she said quietly. “A fae bond builds within you as well as the shifter bond.” A slight furrow formed between her brows. “They’ve melded together in the center. I’m not sure what that means yet, but both are strong and pure.”
